Ohhhh... I'm so tired...

What does today make this... the 63rd day? Yes, I think so... that would mean that I've been doing this for 2 months.

I can't believe I've been doing this for 2 months.

There's a saying I've once heard that I've become rather fond of over my life... and it's days like today that I'm reminded that saying.

'The only dependable thing about the future is uncertainty.'

And from my life, I've learned that saying couldn't be more true — to say otherwise would be pure... arrogance.

Because nothing is certain. Life can change in just the blink of an eye, and so drastically as well. I mean, look at me — I went from being a normal kid to becoming the Commander of an army after fighting a cybernetic dinosaur!

Although, I'm not Commander yet. I'm actually getting rather close though — I've been training for almost 2 years now. Perhaps... another year, and then I may very well become the Commander.

It's rather strange... Commander, it's a title I've been seeking for so long and yet now... it's actually within my grasp. Life really is uncertain, isn't it?

But then, there were the bad changes. I went from having a friend that I... that I cherished, to being back alone... again.

I... miss her. A lot. I suppose spending four months in close proximity with Miss Marsh has led me to become... rather used to her presence.

How used?

There are times where I'll walk into my room, and for a moment, I'll expect to see her in her 'bed', recharging herself for the next day.

But she isn't.

There are times when I'll walk into the kitchen, and for a moment, I'll see her feverishly moving about, in her efforts to make steak for Master Porky.

But she won't.

And there are times when I'll be walking to the elevator, heading off to train, and for a moment, I'll hear a strange rustling behind me, like the familiar sound of a sweet, mechanical voice saying goodbye...

But when I turn, there's nothing there. There never is.

So why do I keep turning anyway?

Since Miss Marsh has left, the task of making meals for Master Porky has since fallen on me. I must admit, even though that's why I started learning how to cook, by the end, I was doing it because I enjoyed it. It's certainly a lot different cooking on my own — it's more tense since I don't have anyone to help me out in case I screw up.

But it's also... less fun, I suppose. Part of what made it fun was spending time with a friend, and now that's been taken away.

Still, cooking remains a rather soothing activity for me, though I can't quite pinpoint why. Perhaps it's the quiet nature of the kitchen. Or the relatively simple tasks I have to do. Or it's just because it gives me to think.

Or maybe it's all of them.

The things I have to cook for Master Porky range depending on what he's in the mood for. Sometimes he wants something simple like a stew. Other times, he's feeling more exotic and requests some Bean Croquettes. One thing I have noticed though, is that he will always ask for Steak at least once a week. Always.

A rewatching of Earthbound gave me an idea as to why that may be the case though — Ness's favourite food was Steak, and he too would have it once a week. I'm starting to see more and more what Master Porky meant when he said he doesn't actually hate Ness.

And if I've counted correctly, this is the 9th time I've watched the movie in question. Yes, the 9th time.

I find it oddly... addicting. Even though I know exactly what happens and even though I know it's not true, I still find myself engrossed with it every single time. And I couldn't say either. It's like this... this desire, to know more about the past, and this is one of the few relics of the past.

Well, this, as well as Dr Andonuts and Master Porky.

My interactions with both of them have been fairly limited though. I see Dr Andonuts every month or so, for my usual check up, but after the time when I informed him about the Mr Saturn and we discussed the cataclysm, he's been very closed off.

As for Master Porky... I thought I'd be able to see him more often, and well, technically I do... but it's only for about 3 minutes a day, when I have to deliver his food. He seems to still be very busy.

So overall, my life in the Empire Porky Building has been rather lonely.

Ahhh... part of me really wants to just collapse and go to sleep... but I still need to make dinner for Master Porky... and myself.

Reluctantly, I drag myself out of my bed and to the kitchen, though not before I quickly use the Instant Revitlising Device in my room to reenergise myself.

Let's see... Master Porky wanted a King Burger with some fries — it's a recipe I've had a considerable amount of practice for, as it's a dish Master Porky is fond of.

Because of that, it's not a particularly difficult recipe — I just mix some ground beef with some salt and pepper, form some patties, and cook them.

The buns require a little bit more work, due to the signature golden crown on top of them. Still, it's not all that difficult to make dough, roll it, and cut a crown out of it, which I bake and then place on top.

As for the fries, I simply toss some frozen ones into the oven and that's about it. They'll only need half an hour... what can I make for myself in that time then?

In the end, I settle for pasta. It's equally simple as the burgers, though I decide to experiment a little for once by increasing the amount of olive oil from two teaspoons to three.

How rebellious.

Soon enough, I finish, with everything looking how it should, and the kitchen still intact. Hooray.

I take the burger and fries to Master Porky's room and knock on it, waiting for about a minute. Predictably enough, there's no answer — mind you, that's not all that surprising, since Master Porky rarely actually answers the door because he's usually so busy.

So instead, I place the food in this pocket next to the door, which takes the food for me. With that sorted, I take my pasta to my room and start eating it.

Urgh... it tastes really bitter! I should have just stuck to the recipe. Well, I suppose this is what I get for being a rebel.

Fitting, isn't it — a crappy end to a crappy day.

Mind you, most of my days feel like crap anyway.

Why?

A very good question, and I have a very simple answer.

Fassad.

Seriously, even though I accept that nothing is certain, one of the few things I'm sure is pretty close is certain, is the fact that I. Hate. Fassad.

And hate is a very strong word. The only other people that I hate would be the people of Tazmily — and that's a collection of people, rather than an individual!

After visiting the Thunder Tower two months ago, I started training with Fassad to strengthen my psychic powers — something I am admittedly behind in. But to be quite frank, training with Fassad is one of the worst things I have ever had the displeasure of doing!

I'd rather try and scale the Empire Porky Building with my bare hands.

I'd rather go ten rounds with a Mecha — Drago with no weapons.

I'd rather be chucked into a Phase Distorter and see if Dr Andonuts's warnings were unfounded or if he really was right.

Granted, the outcomes of doing so would mean I'd be stranded in another time or dead - but either way, I'd be far away from Fassad!

Okay, okay, maybe I'm being a little hyperbolic. Death isn't preferable to life... well, not yet.

But I still stand by the fact that training with Fassad is the worst thing I've done in my life. Why? He's just... intolerable. His standards are so impossibly high that it's not even funny.

For instance, there was the time that he wanted me to use PK Thunder to shock something... with three hundred volts!

The Thunder Tower is designed to produce electricity, and from what I've heard, the electricity that reaches all the appliances at 230 volts — yes, Fassad wanted me to generate electricity more powerful than a tower specifically designed to generate it!

Oh, and I was bored one day, so I decided to do some research into electricity and see how dangerous it is.

Here's a 'fun' fact — the minimum voltage needed to kill a human is fifty volts.

So, to add more unreasonableness upon the already existing unreasonableness, Fassad wants me to generate electricity powerful enough to kill a person, six times over!

Guess what? I can't.

But, somehow, somehow, that's not even the worst part — oh no, not by a long shot!

I've always thought this, and it hasn't changed... but I think it bears repeating. Fassad... is really creepy. As in, really strange and really creepy.

I don't think I'll ever forget my first day with him.

My lessons with Fassad take place in the morning thankfully — because if they were in the afternoon, I'm sure I'd do horribly in them due to how exhausted I would be.

On that morning, I went to the training faculty as usual, but this time I went to a specific area that I've never been to before — it's on the west side, which I've never had any reason to go to... until then.

It's there that Fassad was waiting for me, for the session.

He very quickly laid down the ground rules for me.

"You don't move unless I say so, chimera. You don't touch anything, you don't say anything, you don't do anything, unless I say you can. Got it?"

So basically, I have no freedom whatsoever. Things... didn't exactly seem like they were starting well, and yeah, they didn't continue well either.

After I told Fassad that I understood his rules, he asked me to demonstrate my power. I wasn't exactly sure what he meant by that, but I assumed he meant my power with my PSI.

The only piece of offensive PSI I'm capable of using is PK Thunder and PK Love, the latter of which at the time, I had no idea how to use again, and even now, I still can't use it.

So, PK Thunder it was, and so I blasted Fassad using the Beta variant of it.

He... took it rather well...

In fact, he took it so well, that he was actually disappointed in me.

"Pathetic! Is that really all you can do?! Are you holding back? Are you disrespecting me, chimera?! No, even you know better than do that!"

So, I granted his wish, and shocked him again, and once again, he took it equally as well.

"There is so much work to be done... why did I have to get stuck with this job? Chimera, I have been informed that you can use PK Love. Is this correct?"

"It is... but I have only used it once, and I have yet to replicate its effects."

"Of course you couldn't... those idiots had to make it so I couldn't use it!"

I remember that quite well — from what it seems, Fassad is incapable of using PK Love. I passed it off at the time, but later I remembered something I read about PK Love — it can only be used by certain people.

And for how much I may detest Fassad, I cannot dent that he is a powerful psychic. So, it would make sense that he should have little issue mastering PK Love — but he can't, which proves that learning the PSI in question isn't based on power, but rather... well, actually, what is it based on? I've... never really considered it.

What makes me able to use PK Love, when Fassad can't? The obvious answer would be the PSI's namesake — love. I have more love than Fassad, therefore I can use PK Love and he can't.

However, it is quite presumptuous to assume that Fassad does not love anyone whatsoever. Granted, I wouldn't be surprised if that were true, given the way that he acts, but I can't make baseless assumptions.

And even if that were true, that wouldn't explain why other psychics can't use it either. For example, Ness, Paula and Poo, for how despicable they may be, were still capable of feeling affection for each other... right? Love is not an emotion that is either good or evil, even if is more commonly attributed to the first. The mystery only grows deeper...

But after the... very negative first impression I gave to Fassad of my ability with PSI, he started the training.

I'll admit, at the time, I was very curious to see what training PSI entailed, since it's not like training your body where you can exercise and whatnot.

Well, I should say this then — I was curious at the time.

Fassad first asked me to mediate. I... had no idea what he meant by meditate — I'd never heard of the word at the time. After some ridiculing, Fassad told me it was involves trying to clear your mind, to not be distracted by anything.

So, I sat down, and closed my eyes. I... I didn't know exactly how to clear my mind, so I just led my mind wander to wherever it took me.

I remember... there were many things. It was strange... it was like dreaming, and yet... I felt everything more... everything was more... more clear. It was... it was a place I've never seen... a place I don't think exists... except for in my mind...

It was... sunflowers. A field of sunflowers that stretched beyond my vision. And... they all felt so... delicate. Soft, like the hair of a maid... and yet, as fragile as the butterflies that feed from them.

I... I could have so easily grabbed one, and then... destroyed it. A simple twist of the stem, a swipe of my stick and a blast of electricity... it would have been mangled beyond all recognition. Just... a smouldering pile of petals, their scent one of acrid smoke that burned the lungs of those who smelled them, instead of the sweet scent of...

(Home...)

...peace? The sweet scent of... peace...

The field was endless. The further I walked, the more I could sunflowers I saw. They stood high, magnifying the rays of the star above, shining like beacons of hope.

The last thing I remember... was... it was a, a patch... a barren patch. An area which had been razed, the sunflowers torn to shreds, where life had once been... but it had been completely erased.

And in its place, was a grave.

It stood there, in stark contrast to the rest of the area. While the rest of the area shone with peace and joy, this part was nothing but darkness and misery.

It... it shouldn't have been there... it's... it's not right!

Around the grave was blood, dark red and clear... it pooled around the grave, staining the flowers red.

And on that grave, a single set of sunflowers adorned it. A single set of sunflower crowns.

"BOO!"

So, imagine my situation then. I was mediating, feeling calm and peaceful, not a care in the world, just admiring the view of these sunflower fields.

And then, suddenly, I felt something grab my face and heard something shouted in my ear.

Therefore, I think you'll find it quite understandable if I told you that my immediate reaction, was to instinctively turn around and to try and beat the thing that touched me to a bloody pulp.

Unfortunately for me, said thing was Fassad.

I got a few strikes in, before he simply blasted me away with one use of PK Freeze.

"Nwehehehe! You need to be a lot more focused than that, chimera!"

Oh yeah, that's another thing — Fassad always refers to me as 'chimera', which I'm not exactly fond of. Although, I don't actually have a name, and I suppose it wouldn't make sense for the Fassad to call me Commander since we are on equal ranking... actually, I'm not even the Commander yet, so Fassad is actually higher up the chain of command than me.

Still, I would prefer to not be called 'chimera'.

So, the rest of the morning consisted of me mediating while Fassad kept trying to break my concentration — and he was definitely enjoying himself way too much, because he's a creature that feasts in other people's misery.

After that fiasco though, he dismissed me, and I went to the other side to resume my physical training.

But meditation isn't the only thing Fassad has me do.

Sometimes, Fassad will ask me to do ridiculous feats with my PSI, like blowing up a mountain, burning a forest or the aforementioned 'shock something with 300 volts.'

Fassad knows, he knows I can't do any of these things, nor am I anywhere close to being able to do any of those things, but he still makes me do it, knowing I'm going to fail. And his response is always a 'Nwehehehehe!'.

And yet, despite the fact that he's just intolerable, despite the fact that he is the part of the day I dread, and despite the fact that I really don't want to say what I'm about to say next, I can't deny that Fassad... isn't that bad of a teacher?

Well, actually, no, that's a horrible choice of words and it's also completely wrong — he's a terrible teacher. That is indisputable.

But I can't deny that Fassad, despite how much I hate him, is an effective teacher.

Not a good teacher, mind you, but he is an effective one.

Mediating has actually been rather useful for me — it's helped during some days where I'm feeling particular lonely. It's always nice to revisit the Sunflower Fields.

On a practical point of view, my PSI has actually improved. Fassad gave me some advice regarding PK Thunder — he said that the key to using it, is not to imagine electricity but rather the sensation of electricity.

To imagine the feeling of paralysis taking hold of a person, to imagine their nerves seizing up on them, to imagine their skin bursting into flames... it's... it really has helped.

He's also said I need to use PSI more often, which, fair enough. The more I use it, the better I will become.

And indeed, he was right — I started using Defence Down a lot more often against the Octobots I fight, and tried to apply Fassad's advice.

Whenever I use Defence Down, I... I see, no... I envision pain. I envision their bodies weakening, their armour shattering, their pain increasing.

Because that's what it is, isn't it? It's a way to increase the pain a person feels. It's a way to make them suffer more, and suffer quickly.

I became rather familiar with the aura of that PSI. If I had to describe it... it feels like... a difference. I can feel the difference between them, and myself. And once I use it... the gap widens. The difference becomes more pronounced.

The outcome becomes more certain.

And one month and a psychic fever later, I learned Defence Down Omega.

When I first used it, it was... it felt similar... and yet, it was so much more powerful. It was... overwhelming...

I spent a lot of time experimenting with it, and it's been very useful — you see, the intended use of Defence Down Omega, is for it to be used on multiple opponents at once, thereby eliminating the greatest flaw of the Alpha variant.

In fact, this turned the Octobots from moderately challenging, to a complete joke — being able to reduce the defence of multiple Octobots at once and then blast them with PK Thunder makes things very one sided.

Yet, I've still been having trouble with a certain piece of PSI — PK Love.

Since Day 1 with Fassad, I've been continuously practicing PK Love, trying to get myself to use it again.

But, I've always been unsuccessful. I... I keep trying, and yet... I just keep failing. It's so frustrating! What... what am I doing wrong? I've never had trouble with any of my other PSI — once I learned PK Thunder and Defence Down, I could used them whenever I wanted.

But that isn't the case here.

Even Fassad doesn't have much advice for me. He just says to keep using it... but I don't think practice will be of any help here. Still, I suppose I'll keep trying.

If I don't, then Fassad will only get more annoyed then me — he generally gets pissed off over the fact that I'm too 'weak' to use it, but again, I don't think it's a matter of strength.

So, in conclusion, I hate Fassad, but he is good at what he does — teaching PSI and being a pain in the ass.

With some effort, I finish off my pasta. Note to self: in the future, stick to the recipe!

It's still a little early and after cooking, I don't really feel tired any more... what to do then?

Well, I suppose I could do some reading — there's a library in the Empire Porky Building that I like to go to.

You know, why not? I'll go there for an hour, and then I'll get some rest.

So, with that, I look around for my stick — just in case I happen to get into a fight.

I quickly find it among my meagre possessions, but it slips, and I drop it onto the floor. For Pork's sake... where is it... what... what's this?

There's a book on the floor among my stick. How, and when did it get there?

I pick it up along with my stuck, examining the front of it... 'Psycho Psychic Gods'... when on earth did this come from?

Psycho Psychic Gods... why is that familiar?

And then, I remember. I took this... it was over a year ago, wasn't it? Yes... I took this from the Chimera Laboratory, intending to read it... but I never did get round to it, did I? Somehow, I forget all about it. I hope they didn't need this... because I think at this point it's practically mine.

That name... it's quite an ominous one... I wonder if that's why I took it in the first place. Well... I did want to read something. I suppose this is as suitable a candidate as any.

It's not that long either — only about 100 pages. To the ordinary person, that might seem rather lengthy. But my systems allow me to take in large amounts of information at once, so I may very well finish this today.

On the book's cover, there are seven... people? They look human... and yet, not at the same time. I can't quite ascertain their genders either... hmm... who are they?

I open the book, and start to read. From the very first page, the book has me interested. The things it describes... it's incredibly interesting. The more I read, the more I ask, and the more the book refuses to answer me. I suppose that's a mark of how well it's written.

It's a factual book, it would seem, and it... it tells of a group of creatures, that guard the Nowhere Islands, the so called 'psycho psychic gods'... known as the Magypsies.

A group of beings that exist for one purpose — to guard their island. Physically, they seem quite strange. Their appearance is not like that of any human, yet they seem to bear more than just a passing resemblance to them. Their hair is perhaps what stands out the most, and it's also the only physical trait that is consistent between them all — each of them have hair that's a bright, bubblegum pink.

But while their appearance is similar to humans, their power is most certainty not. The Magyspies are supposedly incredibly powerful psychics, capable of using virtually any PSI in existence... would that include PK Love then?

And they're immortal. They won't die. Ever. Just like... Master Porky.

I wonder... with that much power... and the ability to live forever... would that make them more powerful than Giygas? Hm... I suppose that's one question that simply cannot be answered though.

But in that respect, the Magypsies are quite terrifying. They are beings that are essentially have the power of Giygas... but they actually exist!

I suppose, it's a good thing that are supposedly good natured... but that doesn't really mean anything, does it? After all, even the purest of things can be twisted into something sinister and... corrupted.

I can only hope that the same doesn't apply here as well. These pink haired psychics could very well end this world, as easily as they could save it... wait... pink haired psychics...

That girl. The one at Club Titiboo. She had pink hair... and she was a psychic. Was she... a... a Magyspy?

No... she can't be. She was more powerful then me, yes, but still far too weak than I would have thought one of them would be.

I flick back to the cover and have a look at the illustration of the Magyspies. Hm... that girl... none of them look like her. In addition, I could identify her by eye as female, but I can't identify the gender of the Magypsies, if they have one anyway.

But still, the similarities between the two are too significant to be mere chance, yet, right now, I'm left with no course of action to take, except to simply remember this for the future.

As I keep reading, I only start to wonder more about these mysterious creatures... until I get to one particular section.

'Needles.'

That word... it's popped up a couple of times throughout so far... and yet I've been unable to obtain any sort of significant meaning from it. The book talks about the Magypsies being responsible for these... needles. But what's so special about them?

The answer? Everything.

These Needles... they seem to be of great importance. The book states that guarding these Needles are 'the life's work of a Magyspsy.'

The nature and purpose of the Magypsies is one which no one can say. Although they are supposed to be the guardians of the island, they do not like to interfere in affairs on the island, unless not doing so would pose a risk to it.

However... what they do take particular interest in, are the Needles. The Seven Needles. Magical artefacts, and there is one for each Magyspy, and are of great importance to them.

Why?

No one can be sure. All we know, is that they will guard their location, and their very existence with their lives.

It is theorised that the Needles are the source of the Magypsies' power, being a conduit to the Earth itself. If pulled, this may cause their power to disappear.

Interesting... these Needles may be the reason they are so powerful. If we had cause to eliminate the Magypsies for some reason, we could pull these Needles. They would then be much weaker... and so, we could more easily kill them.

But I must question — if the Needles are the reason the Magypsies are so strong... then who made the Needles? It can't be the Magypsies themselves, because that's just idiocy — why would anyone tie their power to something else by choice?

So, someone else must have made the Needles, which means someone even more powerful than the Magypsies... and so, someone who could potentially pose even more of a threat.

Now, that is very concerning.

Does this book have an answer for this, I wonder... ah, there does seem to be something...

The existence of the Needles is one that few are aware of, and their true purpose is unknown. Although believed to have existed since the beginning of time, it is believed that the Needles are the conduits to the Earth's power — in similar fashion to the Sanctuaries.

... what... WHAT?!

The... the Sanctuaries are real?! This... that, that, that... that makes no sense! The Sanctuaries... they, they... they don't exist! Right? No, according to this, they do!

The Sanctuaries... the conduits to the Earth's power. When all 8 of them are activated... that power unites into one force...

So, these Needles... do they do the same thing as well? Are they also a source for the Earth's power?

But wait... there were 8 Sanctuaries... but only 7 Needles! So, where did one of them go? And... what happens, if these Needles are pulled? In Earthbound, Ness went to Magicant after visiting the Sanctuaries... so would the same happen here?

The person who pulls these Needles... goes to Magicant?

And... when Ness overcame Magicant, he was able to gain the Earth's power so... the Needles do the same! They... they bestow the power of the planet onto the person who pulls them! In fact, wait a minute... yes... that would explain why the Magypsies guard the Needles — because they don't want an evil person getting access to that power!

Imagine... having all that power! The power to blow up mountains, with little more than a single thought... it's... it's incomprehensible... and likely not safe as well.

But, here's the thing — the Magyspies' power is tied to the Needle, so when it's pulled, they lose it. However... the Sanctuaries don't work like that... they're... they're not a reusable thing, I imagine. I mean, this seems like a one and done thing — once you pull the Needle, you can't exactly just put it back in... although for that matter, you'd think these Needles wouldn't be able to be pulled at all, unless the being above the Magypsies wanted them to be pulled... but why?

I look through the rest of the book, trying to see if there's anything else that could be useful, or an answer to any of my questions... but there isn't. The rest of the book seems to be more debate on where the Magyspies could have possibly come from... maybe they're also aliens, like Giygas was.

But still... from what I have read... this is information to be considered. I... I'm not sure what to make of all this.

The Magyspies... guardians with so much power...

The Needles... equivalents to the Sanctuaries...

And the mystery of what happens when they are pulled looming above us all.

Perhaps, there's not much I can do with it now...

But... I should remember it. Because... there may very well be a day where I'll have to meet these creatures.

For now... I suppose all I can do is wait... keep going... and remember this creatures, these people.

Because from what it sounds like, there's a lot to fear from these psycho psychic gods.

A/N: Well... this one's very filler-ey, to the point where I'm not exactly sure why I made it, since only two important things happen here — Claus learns about the Magyspies and learns Defence Down Omega. I guess I made it to bridge the gap, after Chapter 15.

Again, this chapter's mostly here to build on the Masked Man, and his relationships with several people, like Fassad, Marshmallow and Porky.

But of course, there's also this chapter's namesake, the book Claus borrowed all the way back in Chapter 7. Yeah, I bet you completely forgot about it until now — and to be fair, I almost did as well.

I've had the idea for some time — a chapter where Claus finds out about the Magypsies and starts debating with himself about all the things he learns, and also to explore the characters a bit more...

Yeah... that's about all I have to say. I'm sorry for this one — I guess I just struggled to write this. My apologies for that.

Next time, Claus assists with the creation of an object that's rather... safe.